The more I use social networks like Facebook, Tumblr, and Twitter, the more I'm torn about whether people really care or not.
On one hand you have this amazing technology that brings people closer together and through which genuine bonds are formed. People are getting informed, they share burdens which each other, and they get a glimpse into another person's life whereas without this tool it would not have been possible. We share pictures, most of which are treasured memories, so others are able to enjoy them. We advocate for things we believe in and try to bring about awareness. Loved ones have even found one another through the internet, whether those are romantic relationships or family members. All these things are good; important even. We are so privileged to be living in this age where we have information and connection at our fingertips. Instead of a letter taking months upon months to arrive somewhere, it now happens in an instant. Oh, the convenience!
But what about the other side of the coin? Though many take advantage of the closeness that the internet brings, it seems to me like people care less and less. We are caught up in getting a certain amount of facebook likes on our statuses and pictures. Why? Apparently this makes us more important and more popular than others. We enjoy the attention.
I am definitely writing this out my own experience. There have been countless times where I wished more people would "like" my content but to no avail. I blamed it on my lack of popularity and, often times, lack of writing skills/photo taking skills. Let's face it: my life is just not that interesting.
As for advocating causes? I find that I have a very hard time engaging people around me to respond. Is it my face? Do I have something stuck in my teeth? Sometimes I want to reach through the screen, grab the person reading this by the collar, shake them, and ask: "Y U NO RESPOND?"
I often times picture myself as this cartoon character, legs all in a blurry running motion, and constantly bumping into a wall only to bounce back and head for the wall again. Oh, they didn't respond? Back to smacking the wall. Oh, they didn't like my picture? Put up another one and continue running towards the wall.
I'm especially stubborn when it comes to advocating for certain humanitarian causes, because I believe that every person on earth carries the responsibility to care for one another. I suppose that sometimes I believe I could break this wall.
Crash right through it.
I don't want to go all Miley Cyrus on you but right now I could really use a wrecking ball for this wall of apathy.
Then again, I reckon there are some walls in my own life that have to break first...
I know what you mean. Then again, you also know that I have basically "quit" social networking. For me personally, it just came to the point where I realized that I wanted to pour my energy into loving on people one-on-one. Invest in only a small number of friendships rather than trying to have a million friends but not really be close with any of them. At this time in my life, I feel like the best way for me to support a cause, is to just quietly go about finding ways to live it out, and share it here and there with someone personally, who is willing to listen. I DO believe, like you pointed out, that social networking is a blessing in many ways. For me, it just became a curse - a time-consuming waste. I wasn't on it for the right reasons and I gave it way too big of a chunk of my time. I wasn't really on there to know people...I was on it more to BE known. I wasn't in it so much to be in touch with others, but to let others see pictures of me and see what I am doing. Me, me, me. IMHO, social networking should be used as a TOOL, not a toy, and not as a main means of communicating.
ReplyDeleteSomeone told me once she can't bring herself to quit as she is scared of facing the reality of how few people would still want to be friends. I understand that fear, but it also saddens me that people wouldn't rather want to know who their REAL friends are.
I could probably ramble on this subject for hours hahaha so I will stop here.